Life-raft



(No Model.) 7 r 8 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

'J". R." ADAMS LIFE RAFT.

' No. 804,882. Patented Sept. 9, 1884.

WITNESSES INVENTOR 5% C.) I ATTORNEYS.

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J. ADAMS.

LIFE RAFT. No. 304,892. Paten ed Sept. 9, 1884.

' WITNESSES:

N. PETERS, P1 nnnnnnnnnn n nnnnnnnnn nnnnn c (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet3.

J. R. ADAMS.

LLIPE RAFT.

Patented Sept. 9, 1884.

INVENTOR: w BY Mum w WITNESSES 7214/ M W? ATTORNEYS.

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Nrrn STATES JOHN It. ADAMS, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

LIFE-RAFT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 304,892, datedSeptember 9, 1884.

I. l Application filed May 13, 1884. (No mulcl.)

To all whom it nmy concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN It. ADAMS, of Houston, in the county of Harrisand State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Life-Raft, of whichthe following is a full, clear,

and exact description.

The life-boats, life-rafts, &c., used at present on steamers andsailing-vessels do not present sufficient facilities for saving thelives of the persons on the vessel in case of an accident, as

a sufficient number of such life-boats or liferafts are not provided inany case, for they would occupy too much space on the deck of thevessel.

1 The object of my invention is to avoid these difficulties by providinga new and improved life-raft which is so constructed that it can be usedas a state-room ordinarily, and as a life- Iaft in case of danger.

The invention consists in a closed box or vessel held 011 the deck of amarine vessel, and divided into a series of compartments, which areadapted to be used as staterooms when the said box or vessel is on deck,the said box or 2 5 vessel being adapted to be used as a life-raft incase of accident.

The invention also consists in other parts and details and combinationsof the same, as will be hereinafter fully described and set forth.

0 Reference is to boiled to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the. figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved liferaft, parts being broken out.Fig. 2 isa longitudinal elevation of the same, parts being broken out.Fig. 3 is an end view of the same. My improved life-raft is providedwith two oval end pieces or heads, A, 011 the edges of 0 which staves orboards B are placed, which are held in place by heavy hoops-or bands 0,passed around the staves and drawn firmly to gether by means of nuts andbolts, so that the life-raft will essentially consist of a flattened 5barrel or cask. On the top of this life-raft a platform, D, is arranged,which is surrounded by a railing, E, made of iron or other metal rods,secured on standards, or of ropes secured on standards, or in any othersuitable manner. From the said platform D a hollow shaft or tubeprojects upward, from which a ladder, H, leads down to the floor J ofthe raft. Between the floor and the shell compartments J are formed, inwhich water-tanks, receptacles for food, oil, and other necessaries areplaced. The lifc-raft is provided with a longitudinal central hallway,K, extending from end to end, and with a series of transversepartitions, L, forming a series of state-rooms, M, each of which isprovided with a wash-basin, N. At the end of the hall a compartment, 0,is arranged, which may be used as a toilet-room. Doors P lead from thehallway into the state-rooms, and

a door, 0, leads to the toilet-room. The hall is so arranged that theladder H, extending down from the tubular shaft F, will be formed on oneside of the said hallway. In the floor of the hallway trap-doors Q arearranged, through which access can be had to the compartment J, formedbelow the floor J of the raft. In each state-room bunks It are arranged,

which are' hinged to the side walls, and are provided with suitablemeans for holding them in place, two or three bunks being arranged oneabove the. other, as may be desired, two being preferred. At that end ofthe raft opposite the one at which the toilet-room O is formed a door,S, is arranged, which leads to the hallway K. The raft is provided onthe ends with heavy bars T, for fastening chains or cables to hold theraft on deck. The shaft F is provided with a door, V, which can beclosed absolutely tight. The raft is held 011 the deck, and is suitablypropped up and braced and used as staterooms, access being 8 5 had tothe raft through the door S. In case of danger, the door S is closed andsecurely bolted, and the passengers enter the raft through the shaft F.The raft is disconnected from the deck of the vessel, and in case the 0vessel sinks the raft is washed off and floats on the water like a hugecask or barrel. As it is closed on all sides and ends, it can be thrownabout by the waves without any injury to the occupants. If the weatherpermits, some of 5 the passengers can ascend to the platform D and raisemasts or poles with signals of distress; or the said platform can beused as a lookout for passing steamers.

As all the state-rooms on the deck of a steamroe er can be constructedas my improved liferafts, in the manner described, it is evident that asteamer can carry sufficient rafts for a large number of persons withoutwasting any space on the deck of the steamer, as the said space would beoccupied by the ordinary staterooms or cabin, which would afford nobetter accommodation and more conveniences than my improved combinedstate-room and liferaft affords.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a life-raft, the water-tight vessel having a central longitudinalhallway and transverse compartments, said hallway communieating withsaid compartments, and having trap-doors in its floor, establishingcommunication with storage-eo1npartments between the floor and the shellof the vessel, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a life-raft, the water-tight vessel having a central longitudinalhallway and com partment-s furnished as state-rooms, said hallwaycommunicating with said compartments, and having trap-doors in itsfloor, establishing communication with storagecompartments between thefloor and shell of the vessel, said vessel also having a hollow shaft,with its upper end accessible by aladder disposed against a wall of thehallway, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a life-raft, the water-tight vessel disposed on deck of a marinevessel, and detachably connected to the latter, said water-tight vesselhaving a central longitudinal hallway and state-room compartmentscommunicating with the hallway, said hallway having trapdoors in itsfloor, establishing communication with storage-compartments between thefloor and shell of thewatentight vessel, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

4. A state-room having water-tight sides, ends, floor, and ceiling,which stateroom is adapted to be held detaehably on the deck of avessel, so as to adapt it to be used as a life raft, substantially asherein shown and de scribed.

JOHN B. ADAMS.

NVitnesses:

F. A. SOIIAEFER, W. S. ()LnrL-iM.

